Buffing mechanism for car-platforms.



G. T. WESTLAKE L C. F. FREDB.V

BUFFING MBGHANISM P0P. GAP. PLATFORMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1911.

1,049,627, Patented Jan. 7, 14913.

ZSHEETSMSHEET 1.

,JMA/70 .5'.

Panam-,ed Ja,n 7,19'13.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLGATION FILED NOV. 4, 1911.

G. T. 'WBSTLAKE an G. P. FREDE. BUPPING MEGHANISM FOR GAR PLATFORMS.

W/TNESss Y. T E, T 0.4/1A Flf TMF. NSD me@ ww... ./.E 5 En mL ,WIM cm UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

CHARLES T. WESTLAKE AND CHARLES'F. FREDE, OF ST.

Louis, ,ivIIsSoUEL ii.ssrnandas To :ooUELE BODY BOLSTEE COMPANY, or sT. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A conroaiirroni or NEW JERSEY.

To all/whomz'z may oncem:

Be it'known that iva-CHARLES T.` VVES'I- LAKE and CHARLES F. FREDE, citizens of the UnitedStates, residing at St. Louis,-Mis

erence being had to the. accompanying' drawings, forming part of this specification,

in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cast metal platform with portions of the end sill and the buffer beam and showing-the buiiing mechanism in position thereon. Fig. 2 vis a section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. '3 is -a cross section .taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. el is a cross section taken on the line 4 4.

This invention relates generally to railway car platform construction and more particularly to the bufhng mechanism applied to cast metal platforms such as are now in general use in passenger car construction and -the particular objects of my invention V-are:--to construct a skeleton platform and buiier beam'so as to readily accommodate an accepted form of bu'ifing mechanism now in use, to v,provide a construction wherein the operating parts of the` bufling mechanism can be readily placed in or removed fromk position without detaching the vestibule or the buffer from its stems, thereby permit-r ting the buiiing mechanism to be readily and easily repaired when any of the operating parts have become broken or unfit for service.

Vith the above objects in view our inven tion consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed. Y

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates: the end sill of a cast metal car under frame of the type now in general use and formed integral therewith and projecting forwardly therefrom is a series of vertically disposed webs 2, which form a skeleton platform. Formed integral with the forward ends of the webs 2vis a buffer beam 3 of the usual box shape and positioned on top of the central portion of this beam is the usual threshold plate 4;.

Specification of Letters .flfatentf i Astems S,

'BUEEING MECHANISM Fontina-PLATFORMS.

ieateneefi .famiglia-fipa.

Appueation fiieanovembere, 191i. serial No. 658,591.

ately in front of thepbuffer beam and pesitioned on-top of the buei is anplatel 6 which is' adapted `to slide beneath the threshold plate 4. The buffer is carriedby the forward ends of a pair of side buffer that are arranged to Slide freely through corresponding openings 9, formed through the `frontend rear walls ofy the buffer beam 3. A

The numeral 10 designates a pair of vertically disposed walls whichextend lengthf wise between the central portion of the end .sill 1, beam 3, and ythe space Vbetween. these The numeral 5 designates' thesfybufiing. memberwhieh occupies a position immediwalls is occupied by the centerbuifer mechi anism. F orined integral with the upper and lower edges of these walls 10 and extending outwardly `therefrom are lhorizontally disposed ia'nges 11. I Formedintegral with the walls 10 a short distance above the lower edges thereof, are longitudinally 'extending horizontally disposed webs 12 and removably positioned thereon is a metal vplate 13 which supports the center bufferstem mechanism located .between the walls v10. The -bufiing mechanism which is of .a type accepted by the M. C. B. comprises a follower block 14 connected to the center .buiiing stem f7, adjacent the beam 3 and this follower shaped housing 15, the lower ends of'wliich are fixed v,in any suit-able manner to y'the plate 13.

A portion of the follower .block 1G is located inthe opposite end of the housing l5 and interposed between the blocks 14 and 16 is a spring 17. Located against a transverse wall 18 which is formed integral with and positioned between-the rear portions of the walls 10 is a block 19 and interposed betweenblocks 1G and 19 are springs-20. Formed integral with the inner faces of the walls' 10 and 'extending -forwardly from the rear wall 18 are ribs 21 which serve to maintain the blocks 16 and 19 in operative position within the pocket between walls 10, and these ribs also serve as bearings against which the ends of block 16 engage during its backward and forward movement. v

The numeral 22 designates a cover plate which is positioned from the pocket between the walls l0 and the edges of said cover 'plate are fixed to the skeleton platform, and

to the beam 3 in any suitable manner. .The

yrear portions of the side `buffer stems 8 operate through bearings formed in transverse plates 23 which latter are formed integral with the 'walls 10 and the adjacent webs 2 and positioned on t-he rear portionsV of` these side buffer stems between the plates 23 and the beam 3, are side buifer stem springs 24. Under normal conditions, the

side buffer springs 24 hold the buffer 5 at its outer limit of movement and when said buffer is moved inward toward the beam 5, during the coupling of two cars, lthe coil springs 24C and 17 are first compressed, after which the heavy springe between the blocks 16 and 19 come'into action and thus,v

allof the springs under action combine to yieldingly resist the inward movement of the buffer and the buffer mechanism until I said buHer has been moved to a point where ythe coupling of the cars is effected. During the' rearward movement of the various parts of the center buiiing stem mechanism, the

, housing 15 forms a vguide for the block 14 and the block 16 is guided between the forward portions of the ribs 21. The blocks 14 and 16 bear directly upon the bottom plate 13 and when the same has become worn from use, itI can be readily removed and replaced by anew `plate. The central portion of the plate 13 supported4 by a transverse web 25 which is formed integral with the central portions of the flanges 12.

plate is placed in position, thus, completely inclosing and onsequently protecting the said center ste i buliing-mechanism. The construction of the platform .and

buffer beam herein shown and described is comparatively simple,v is very strong and rigid and the entire bufiing mechanism can be easily and quickly placed in operative position upon the platform or removed therefrom-without detaching the vestibule or without removing the buffer from the side stems and'therefore,this construction is especially` advantageous when it is necessary to make repairs or to renew any parts which have become worn or. broken in service.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of our improved buil"- ing mechanism can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

'We claim:V

In a buihng mechanism of the class described, the combination with a skeleton platform having a pair of vertically disposed walls between which the center stem buiiing gear is located, a transversely disposed plate integral with and arranged between the rear portions of said walls, outwardly projecting flanges on theupper and lower edges of said plates, a pair of inwardly projecting flanges integral with said plates for supporting the center stem buffing mechanism, and longitudinally extending bearing ribs on the inner faces of the plates above the inwardly projecting flanges.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of October, 1911.

CHARLES T. VVESTLAKE. CHARLES F. FREDE. Witnesses: v

B. E. KUHL, HAL C. BELLvrLLa 

